Peak District

The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (SHAFF) takes place from March 17th to 19th 2017 and this year features a varied selection of running films from both here in the UK and overseas. With 14 films being shown over three days there will be something of interest to most runners and particularly those who aspire to tackle longer distances. The films focus on a wide cross section of runners of all abilities, from sponsored athletes to recreational runners. Films to look out for include:

Mira

The story of a young woman from small Nepali village who ran away to join the army where she discovered that her tough upbringing had given her a talent for mountain running. The film follows her as she travels to take part in her first year of racing in the International Sky Running Championships and compete against some of the best female distance runners in the world. She then returns to her village to share her story with her family.

Mira – from Nepalese village girl to world recognised mountain runner

Outside Voices

This is an arty black and white film following the slightly crazy American Ultra Runner Jenn Shelton (one of the characters featured in the book Born to Run). Shelton is a straight talking, hard living 31 year old who travels and lives in a small camper van. She likes to party but is also one of America’s top female ultra runners. Look out for the party game that involves running, beer and shotguns!

This follows the progress of some of the competitors on the inaugural Cape Wrath Ultra as they tackle 8 days, 400 kilometres and over 11,000 metres of ascent through some of the most remote and beautiful landscapes in Britain. The film captures stunning scenery from the Scottish Highlands and talks to competitors about their backgrounds, motivation and their feelings and experiences as they take part in the event. It shares the emotional highs and lows, the injuries, exhaustion and elation as the runners make their way from Fort William to Cape Wrath.

Cape Wrath Ultra – 400km through remote north-west Scotland

Run Forever

Run Forever tells the inspirational story of how Yorkshire farmer Nicky Spinks attempted to become only the second person to complete a back to back Bob Graham Round in under 48 hours. The feat of endurance; 132 miles with 54,000 ft of ascent had only been done once before – and that was 37 years previously. Footage of the attempt is mixed with interviews telling of Nicky’s early years, life on the farm with her husband Steve and how she battled to overcome breast cancer.

Run Forever – the story of Nicky Spinks’ back to back Bob Graham Round

Beauties and the Bog

This short film follows 4 young women as they train and prepare to take on the gruelling High Peak Marathon; a 42 mile race through the remotest parts of the Peak District…. overnight in winter.

Beauties and the Bog – 4 women prepare for the High Peak Marathon

So, experienced runners and beginners alike will find something to interest and inspire them at SHAFF 2017

There is something special about running in snow.

Maybe it’s because our winters tend to be wet and windy with muddy conditions underfoot that I relish the chance to run in the snow. It brings a welcome change to the ordinary, a different challenge, a break from the routine. When snow is falling the world shrinks, visibility drops and the sky loses its form. The boundary between earth and sky blurs and the horizon disappears. With paths obscured even the most familiar of trails become alien as the landscape becomes uniform and it is difficult to judge distances. The only colour that exists is on my clothing, the rest of the world is monochrome. Falling snow muffles sound, the only ones I hear are the ones I make; my footsteps creaking in the fresh snow, my breathing, my heartbeat on the hard uphills.

the only colour that exists is on my clothing

After the snow comes a different challenge. The well trodden paths that I usually take become buried and there is no such thing as an easy run. I struggle to lift my feet clear of the drift, gratefully find a patch of hard snow that takes my weight and tentatively begin to run, trying to make myself light. A few metres gained and crunch, I’m up to my thighs again and the process starts over. Who needs the gym, this targets muscles that are rarely used – and it’s free!

no such thing as an easy run

There is something rewarding about breaking a trail. Of standing there with virgin snow ahead of me and being the first person to set foot on it – being my own pioneering explorer.

And when the weather system has passed leaving its white blanket covering the landscape and high pressure brings clear skies and freezing temperatures, those are my favourite conditions. They are a complete contrast to when snow is falling, now colour returns and the sky is impossibly blue, the horizon stretches for miles and sound carries on the still air. Shapes and shadows appear where snow lies, sculpted by the wind.

the horizon stretches for miles

I long for conditions like this and on those rare, precious days when they occur I head out into the depths of the Peak District. In midweek it is possible to spend a day out without seeing a soul, being more likely to encounter a mountain hare making the most of one of the few days when conditions suit its winter coat.

shapes, shadows and the tracks of a mountain hare

All too soon the mild air returns, the snow thaws and the landscape reverts to its customary winter condition – damp and grey. But the memories remain long afterwards of those few precious winter days and my adventures of running in snow.

My Inov-8 Roclites have just done 1000 miles.

I’ve had the shoes for exactly a year and have used them as a bit of a workhorse, being my favourite training and work shoe. They are the 282 model in a women’s size 6.5 (My old Roclite 285’s were discontinued and the 295’s didn’t come any smaller than size 7 in men’s – hence the choice) They are the shoe I used for the majority of last winter’s training and for most of this year’s training on fell terrain. I also used them for when my training required a shoe that could cope with both fell and trail running terrain. They aren’t my only shoe, I used other models for racing and for training on purely trail terrain and once they got tatty I had to use something newer when working with clients!

The conditions that they’ve been used in are mainly those typical of the northern Peak District, i.e. wet, acidic soils, abrasive gritstone and rough heather. It’s quite a testing environment, so how have the shoes fared after a year and a thousand miles of use?

Trail running in the Peak District in Inov-8 Roclites

Uppers

I usually find that it is the upper part of the shoe that fails before the sole. Wet, acidic conditions, rough gritstone and coarse heather all eventually take their toll. The Roclites have stood up pretty well, there are some small holes in the mesh and damage to the rand but they haven’t been holed completely. I have been tempted to patch these up with shoe goo but I wanted to get to the magical 1000 miles before doing so! The shoes have also retained their fit, i.e. they don’t feel loose or sloppy and I haven’t found that I need to lace them any tighter than I ever did.

damage to the mesh and rand

damage to the rand

Heel Cup

Another area that wears is the heel tab, due to repetitive putting on and taking off of the shoe. Again although the Roclites show some wear here it is less than might be expected after such prolonged use.

signs of wear on the heel tab

Sole

I have found that the Roclite’s sole stands up very well to wear and tear. Even after 1000 miles mine still have a good amount of tread left on them.

plenty of tread left!

Overall Appearance

To be honest they’ve seen better days but it doesn’t take long for a fell running shoe to go from looking pristine to well used, especially when using it in wet, winter conditions.

Inov-8 Roclite, one careful owner!

So, what to get next? Well I really rate the Roclite, they are a great all rounder and if I could only have one pair of shoes I’d choose these. Their versatility means that I can pack them for holidays knowing that they will cope with the conditions. From running on Icelandic snow to sunny French mountains and wet English fells, they haven’t let me down.

from Icelandic snow

to French hill reps

from European sun

to wet English days

So it would make sense to go with another pair of Inov-8 Roclites seeing as these have served me well. I still have the problem that the men’s 295 and 280 start in a size 7 which is too big for me so might have to go for a women’s model which come in a 6.5.

The Peak District is a fantastic location for trail and fell running.

A wide network of paths link woodland trails, gritstone edges and more remote, wild, moorland terrain and offers something for everyone regardless of fitness level or experience. But what if you want to run in this beautiful landscape yet don’t have access to a car? Well the good news is that the Sheffield to Manchester rail line runs through the heart of the Peak District and trains call at several village stations along the way. You can hop off the train and be running off road within seconds!

Here are four chosen routes on the Sheffield side of the Peak District.

Grindleford Station Run
Distance 14km, Height Gain 450m

trail run from Grindleford station

The route shown is for a clockwise run starting up Padley Gorge, along White Edge and finishing along Froggatt Edge.

frosty morning trail run on White Edge

Hathersage Station Run
Distance 16km, Height Gain 600m

trail run from Hathersage station

The route shown is an anticlockwise loop taking in Padley Gorge, the Burbage valley, Stanage Edge and North Lees.

trail running in the Burbage valley

Hope Station Run
Distance 13km, Height Gain 600m

trail run from Hope station

The route shown is anticlockwise ascending Win Hill before descending to then tackle Lose Hill.

splendid views from Win Hill summit

Edale Station Run
Distance 17km, Height Gain 740m

fell run from Edale station

The route shown is clockwise starting steeply up towards Mam Tor then tackling the boggy, pathless section over Brown Knoll (tricky navigation in bad weather). It then follows the southern edge of Kinder to Grindslow Knoll before a steep, technical descent off Ringing Roger back to Edale.

high and exposed, the moorland near Grindslow Knoll

No car? No excuse! Just hop on the train and make the most of trail and fell running in the Peak District.

“In his autumn before the winter comes man’s last mad surge of youth”

What on Earth am I talking about?

It’s mid November, the sky is monotone, the landscape leached of colour as if nature is restricted to a drab palate with which to paint her surroundings. Heavy rain and strong winds sweep in from the south, the ground is heavy, sodden and summer’s golden rays have long faded. Running on a day like today just doesn’t inspire me, there is little aesthetic pleasure to be had, no urge to linger and drink in the sights and sounds around me. Instead I speed up, not wanting to spend any more time than absolutely necessary in this environment. My gaze is restricted to the few metres immediately ahead of me, head bowed into the wind, squinting against the lashing rain.

But winter running can be a joy. Some days sparkle like bright jewels glittering amongst the oppressive grey.

winter running in the Peak District

Clear nights lead to crystal blue days and the first hard frosts bring firmer ground. The crunch of ice crystals replaces the squelch of feet in mud.

hard frost and the crunch of ice

On high pressure days the air is still, sounds carry: the tinkling of the icy brook, the dripping as a weak winter sun thaws icicles on gritstone boulders, the frosty remains of the bracken expanding as they slowly warm. The landscape breathes. These are my favourite days, when piercing blue skies seem to overload the senses and the clear air brings the distant horizon into sharp focus. On such days I love to explore the remotest parts of the Peak District, making the most of the few hours of daylight to enjoy the solitude of the harsh environment.

winter running under a piercing blue sky

On some winter days a layer of cold air in the valley bottom condenses forming a sea of cloud. When conditions are right the hills above enjoy clear skies and sunshine whilst all below is shrouded in grey. It’s a joyful experience to emerge from the cloud into the sunshine and enjoy the colour and long winter shadows.

above the sea of cloud

Even on cloudy days, there are rewards especially after heavy snow when running becomes a real adventure! Then the landscape softens, sharp edges are smoothed by the snow, paths disappear and what was once familiar takes on a different aspect.

adventure running!

Somehow snow brings on a surge of youth, the urge to “play out”, to explore and experience adventure! The once tame trails of summer become a playground. Nature offers up the challenge of running through deep snow and on ice. The challenge has to be accepted!

running or climbing!

So whilst all is wet, windy and grey, running is done simply for training rather than for any other pleasure. But we can hope.

the joy of winter running – that’s what I’m talking about!

Winter is around the corner and maybe it will bring joy to running on the trails and fells. That’s what I’m talking about!

Trail Running and Fell Running in autumn is a bitter-sweet experience.

The long, warm, summer days are a fading memory. No more long days out on the hill with the sun still shining at 9pm. No more evening races where the best athletes in the sport line up with first timers and share a friendly drink and chat afterwards. The days are much shorter now, the weather harsher and more kit needs to be carried, even on short runs where once a tee shirt and shorts were sufficient. Cold hands and wet feet become the norm, mud replaces grass and extra motivation is needed to head out into the wind and rain.

wish I’d worn leggings!

But autumn running in the Peak District does have its rewards: gold, silver and bronze become the predominant colours as the heather and bracken die back, the leaves fall and the birches, stripped of their foliage reveal their bright bark.

trail running through silver birches

trail running through fallen leaves on a bright autumn day

The smell of bracken is replaced by the earthy scent of fallen leaves and occasionally the sound of a bellowing stag drifts down from the moor as he tries to establish his dominance over the herd. On clear nights the first frosts form and, for me, the best thing about autumn running is on the cold mornings when still air has condensed in the Hope Valley forming a blanket of cloud whilst the hills above are bathed in sunshine.

frosty morning inversion in the Hope Valley

The dark evenings present opportunities too: out come the head torches and easy trail runs through the woods and moors take on a different excitement as owls screech, sheep stare with glowing eyes and the odd grouse gets wakened from sleep to flap away noisily – a sound guaranteed to quicken the pulse!

head torch running

So although I’m sad to say goodbye to the summer it’s good to make the most of the sights, smells and sounds of autumn. So get out between the October storms and enjoy autumn, for a trail runner or fell runner the season still has a lot to offer.

There are lots of reasons why the Peak District is a great location for fell and trail running.

First of all there’s the scenery; from rough open moorlands to pretty limestone dales, each with their own flora and fauna and the stark contrast between the gritstone and limestone landscapes. Then the variety; tough, steep hill climbs or flat routes around pretty reservoirs or along valley bottoms. For the competitive runner there are beginner friendly summer races and tough, long, testing challenges. And all of this is easily accessible from the major road and rail networks.

Have you tried fell and trail running in the Peak District yet?

One of my favourite times for fell running is early in the morning.

On the short drive out to the Peak District, passing cars heading in the other direction I reminded myself how lucky I am to be going for a run when the rest of the world is heading for the office!

Today the skies were blue and although the sun was up it had yet to warm the air and the chill breeze meant that a windproof was needed. As I was getting changed the distinctive call of a curlew drew my attention and I saw a pair of birds on the moor close to the road. I love easy runs when I can focus on the natural sights and sounds around me, nature is my earphones!

My run took me along the edge of steep ground with a fantastic view of the Hope Valley.

running above the Hope Valley

Crossing the minor road I climbed Higger Tor and crossed its flat summit before dropping off the south side. Easy running and a few short, steep steps brought me onto the old fort of Carl’s Wark, another flat top with a jumble of gritstone boulders on its southern flank giving way to easier running on a grass, heather and bilberry slope.

skipping over the boulders

I headed downhill aiming to cross the pretty Burbage Brook by means of a hop over the rocks.

crossing Burbage Brook

Warmer now I stopped to take off my jacket and spent a couple of moments soaking in the atmosphere: the warm sun, the burbling of the stream and the sound of a cuckoo in the woods to the north. How wonderful fell running can be!

Setting off again I climbed gradually up to the wide trail that bisects the valley and turned north towards the cuckoo. The trail gives fantastic views with natural and quarried gritstone edges to the east whilst to the west there is the forest and brook with Carl’s Wark and Higger Tor standing proud beyond.

running below Carl’s Wark and Higger Tor

As I neared the head of the valley, from the rocks to my right I heard a different, rarer sound: the high pitched cheep of a Ring Ouzel. This small, blackbird like migrating bird visits the Peak District crags in summer to breed before heading back to warmer climes in winter.

Leaving the thrush to it’s territorial feud I approached the end of the trail and below Burbage Bridge I crossed the stream again, swinging back towards Higger Tor.

crossing the brook below Burbage Bridge

Almost finished, as I approached the car I again noticed the curlews. I must have been closer to their ground nest this time as they were much more vocal in their calls. One bird flew noisy circles around me before landing only a few feet away in a determined effort to distract me from its precious home.

Curlew

Run finished, and not yet 9.00am. A morning of blue sky and birdsong and I’m again reminded of how fantastic trail running and fell running in the Peak District can be.

“Dave, do you want to be in our team for the High Peak Marathon?”

Damn, I’d been avoiding that for a few years, I’d always had a niggling injury or something else in the diary but this year there was no excuse for saying no.

But what’s the big deal? you ask, everyone does marathons nowadays don’t they? Well this isn’t exactly a marathon, it’s actually 42 miles. Over some of the remotest, boggiest and most navigationally challenging parts of the Peak District. In February. Overnight.

And so the dialogue between the devil and the angel began:

“Yeah that would be great, who else is in the team?”“Stu Walker! – 2nd in the Ultra Tour of the Peak District and he’s just set the record for 15 Trigs! He’s a monster!”“Yeah it will be great, I’ve been secretly hoping someone would ask.”“Jeez Dave are you mad, you’ve never run that distance before, you’re out of your depth.”“Yeah put my name down, can’t wait”“Jeez Dave you prefer short sharp stuff, this is going to be a night of pain.”“Yeah, count me in 42 miles can’t be that bad.”“Dave seriously, the other 3 guys have done it before, they’re good at this kind of thing, this will break you!”

Anyway the devil won and a few months of long training runs and recces of the tricky sections began. My anxiety wasn’t helped when it seemed that, not content with simply completing the race, my team mates were hoping for a top 3 finish. Too late to back down now!

After the wettest winter since Noah’s day the forecast suggested we might actually be lucky and get a clear night. Not that it would improve the man eating morass that is the section from Cut Gate to Swain’s Head but it would be nice to stay dry from the waist up.

And so to race day. We weren’t due to start until a quarter to midnight and as there’s no such thing as stocking up on sleep there was plenty of time to pack my bag, change my mind, repack my bag, change my mind…

Driving to Edale, stars shone bright. The clear night offered a faint hope of frozen conditions underfoot, a vain hope, the cold air merely resulted in fog on Bleaklow and Brown Knoll and some treacherously slippy flagstones on the Pennine Way.

I hate the hours before a race, I just want to get going and knowing that I wasn’t just racing for myself but had 3 team mates who were relying on me didn’t ease the nerves. 10.30 pm, all 4 of us present, time to register, sign in, no way out now! Into the back of John’s van to divide up the team kit and go over the route, last minute nerves and decisions: which gloves to take? “How much food are you carrying?” “Do you think I need this much water?”

“5 minutes boys.. where’s John? Come on we’re going” And off, into the night, an easy pace up through the fields towards Hollins Cross following a line of twinkling lights up onto the distant ridge.

Sheepfold Clough. No sign of the checkpoint, we run on then change our minds and turn back to have another look. It’s not there, we’ve dropped lower than we needed and are faced with a brutal climb up a near vertical slope. Wasted time, wasted energy.

Lost Lad. My batteries fail even though they were fully charged, thankfully the spare set are easily accessible.

Far Black Clough. A slight panic as we seem to be following a stream west when we should be going south. A quick check of the map gets us back on track – not the one we wanted to be on but in the right direction.

Bleaklow Stones. We emerge at the checkpoint into fog and slight snow, just what you need on the trickiest navigation section! We slow to a fast walk sticking to compass bearings. Not the quickest crossing of Bleaklow but we emerge bang on the cairn and know it’s only 200 metres to the checkpoint. We shouldn’t get lost now!

Snake Crossing. After Wain Stones we notice a lightening in the sky, dawn, and can turn torches off by the time we hit the road. Good job as my second set of batteries are spent!* We’re told there’s only 4 teams ahead of us. I scoff a jam butty and some Soreen (I’d love to take up the offer of a cup of tea but have to make do with a refill of water) and we’re off in pursuit.

Mill Hill. We catch and pass one team, reeling them in along the interminable flagstones and when we get to Kinder I suddenly realise that I’ve only got a medium distance fell race to do! Both the devil and the angel are in agreement now “You’re going to do it Dave”

Edale Cross. It looks a bit different in the fog, I know where I am but not where the checkpoint is. A quick check of the map to confirm, don’t want to cock up now.

Brown Knoll. We get a slightly bad line, missing a trod and Nicky Spinks under cuts us. She’s going strong: “encouraging” the men in her team and relieving one of them of their bag. “Simes, will you carry my bag?”

Hollins Cross. “All downhill now boys. Just the cow muck to negotiate and we’re home!”

This was supplemented by a quick bit of cake / flapjack at each feed station.

You’re not taking all that are you!

Hardest Moments:

Between Swain’s head and Bleaklow Stones I thought my torch was playing up as it appeared to be flickering. The others said it looked fine to them and it was actually my eyes! I was a bit worried by this and tried to run with the torch in my hand. (I have read about head torches being bad for your eyes). Holding the torch made running whilst keeping an eye on the compass particularly difficult and I put it back on my head after about 10 minutes. The drag up to the checkpoint was probably my lowest moment of the whole race.
The flagstone section to Mill Hill seemed to go on for ever but it was light by then and although there was still a long way to go, psychologically we were over the hardest bit.

foggy dawn – approaching Brown Knoll (photo Ian Winterburn)

Final Thoughts:

Probably the hardest thing to get right was carrying just the right amount of kit. The forecast was for a cold, frosty night. It was accurate and quite calm which meant it didn’t feel cold. I wore too many layers (only needed one shirt). I didn’t need my Buffalo mittens but don’t regret taking them as the threat of 9 hours with cold hands is too much to suffer.

I took too much food. I didn’t want to run out but being able to grab stuff at the feed stations meant that I carried more than necessary.

A top 3 finish would have been good and was definitely achievable if we hadn’t faffed around in Sheepfold Clough. However just to get round in one piece and not let the side down is what I would have settled for when the devil said yes.

Finally, thanks to my team mates from Dark Peak Fell Runners: Simon, John and Stuart for a good night out.

Will I be doing the High Peak Marathon again next year? You’ll have to ask the devil!

One of my favourite runs in the Peak District is the trail run from Ladybower Reservoir to the top of Win Hill.

It rises 280 metres in just over 3km on good terrain. It is never too steep to force you to walk and so is a great training run. The views from the summit are probably the best in the Peak District and from the top you can carry on westwards to Kinder, drop south west towards Hope to climb its twin; Lose Hill or even retrace your steps and add another couple of hill reps!

the trail running route up Win Hill

Come with me on a video tour and see one example of what makes the Peak District such a fantastic location for trail running.